The Bezos Earth Fund today announced $24.5 million in grants to help park rangers, coastal communities, and local organizations protect key marine areas across the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
"That's what this investment from the Bezos Earth Fund is about: supporting the people who do the work and giving nature the chance to thrive."
Panama is Included: Bezos Earth Fund Announces $24.5 Million for Coastal Protection and Stewardship Across the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Together, they are working to connect protected areas across borders to build one of the world's largest coordinated marine conservation efforts.
The new funding will improve on-the-water safety and planning, expand community-led protection in nursery habitats, and strengthen the science used to guide conservation decisions in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Below is Jeff Bezos.
Panama, Costa Rica, and Colombia have each protected more than 30 percent of their national waters, and Ecuador has expanded protections across critical offshore and coastal zones.
"We're seeing that when communities are equipped with the right tools, they protect these species – and the ocean comes back to life," said Tom Taylor, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund.
Since 2021, the four countries have designated more than 154,000 square miles (400,000 km²) of new marine protected areas, nearly tripling regional protection.
These grants nearly double the Earth Fund's total investment in the region to more than $60 million.
"These waters are home to endangered turtles, schools of tuna, and the only places on Earth where hammerhead sharks pictured below, still gather in the thousands."
